What Hoffman says: OK, I get it, a Whopper rewrapped as a wrap sandwich. But did Burger King have to stay so faithful to the Whopper breakdown and keep the pickles? There's something so wrong and unnatural about pickles in a burrito.

Mighty Meat Lover's Skillet at Denny's: A
breakfast-sausage link and grilled sirloin-steak skewer served over
mushrooms, fire-roasted bell peppers, onions and seasoned red-skinner
potatoes. A sweet bourbon glaze and two eggs, any way you like 'em, are
the finishing touches. It's a lot of food, about 1 1/2 pounds, and here
come the nutritional numbers to prove it.

What Hoffman says: The Mighty Meat Lover's Skillet arrives all prettied up, with a chubby
sausage and a steak skewer sitting atop a colorful veggie medley and two
eggs staring you in the eye. It's big food, and there's no fluff on
that plate. Everything is cooked fresh to order.

$5 Flavor Menu at Pizza Hut: Seven items, each selling for $5. The only catch, you have to order at least two of them.

Nutritional values vary.What Hoffman says:The Hut is playing the "Price Is Right," fair and square. They're
not offering scrimped-down portions or limiting toppings on the pizza.
All seven items are cheaper than they were before the $5 Flavor Menu
brainstorm. And the menu boasts a good cross-section of the best Hut
stuff.

What Hoffman says: Once all the extras are added, these Cupcake Pancakes really do taste
like cupcakes - but not the packaged, indestructible Tastykake or
Hostess cupcakes Mom put in your school lunchbox. IHOP's creations are
more like bakery cupcakes, with a thick slather of vanilla icing and
whipped cream on top. But that's not all Hoffman had to say about this breakfast treat. less

What Hoffman says:
IHOP's Bananas Foster Brioche French Toast keeps its promise. It's pure delicious and just as advertised - it'll have you rockin' and reelin' till lunch on a sugar rush. Try it for dinner, if you don't live in an apartment ... your neighbors might not appreciate you vacuuming and running the dishwasher and doing pilates at 3 a.m. less

What Hoffman says:
Someone in Pizza Hut product development is a smart cookie to think up this dessert. It starts with a humongous chocolate chip cookie - everybody loves those. Then the Hut adds the flavor and textures of s'mores - gooey marshmallows and more gooey chocolate.
Good on Pizza Hut for coming up with a product that doesn't have customers wondering, "Whaaaa?" Like BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger and Buffalo Chicken with Sriracha Drizzle pizzas. Seriously, Pizza Hut, what were you thinking? Click here to read Hoffman's take on the pizza. less

The Hut is redeeming itself with Bacon Stuffed Crust Pizza, though. This makes so much more sense and tastes a thousand times better. Bacon … cheese … pizza … it's a natural combination. Natural or not, click here to find out which ingredient stumps Hoffman. less

The Bacon Stuffed Crust Pizza breakdown: a large hand-tossed, one-topping pizza with three cheeses and bacon bits stuffed in the crust.

Total calories: 370 (for one slice of a large pie). Fat grams: 19. ... more

Garlic Parmesan Pizzas from Pizza Hut: Chicken, Bacon &
Tomato; Roasted Veggie; and Five Cheese Please. All three pies feature a
creamy garlic sauce laced with Parmesan and Romano, and a crust made
crustier with more Parmesan and a Parmesan-parsley blend. Sounds like
the Parmesan sales team scored big with Pizza Hut buyers.

Garlic Parmesan Pizzas from Pizza Hut: Chicken, Bacon & Tomato; Roasted Veggie; and Five Cheese Please. All three pies feature a creamy garlic sauce laced with Parmesan and Romano, and a crust made ... more

New Grilled Chicken Sandwich: New has spring mix of different greens. Old had iceberg lettuce. New boasts a breast marinated in herbs and seasoning. Old had a blah plain chicken breast. New features a multigrain bun. Old used a dull, bor-ing burger bun.

New Grilled Chicken Sandwich: New has spring mix of different greens. Old had iceberg lettuce. New boasts a breast marinated in herbs and seasoning. Old had a blah plain chicken breast. New features a ... more

Honey-Butter Biscuit Tenders at Church's: three chicken
tenders, plunked in biscuit batter, fried and sweetened with honey and
butter. Served with, you guessed it, a Honey-Butter Biscuit. I thought
there was a law against double jeopardy.

What Hoffman says:Somebody in product development at Church's is on the ball. Two of
Church's best, most popular menu items are chicken tenders (bigger than
most chains) and biscuits (the best). Now they're together as an
irresistible mash-up.

Honey-Butter Biscuit Tenders at Church's: three chicken tenders, plunked in biscuit batter, fried and sweetened with honey and butter. Served with, you guessed it, a Honey-Butter Biscuit. I thought there ... more

What Hoffman says:KFC introduced Nashville Hot Chicken in a test run last year in
Pittsburgh and reported "the most successful product testing in the
company's recent history." You know what they say, as Pittsburgh goes,
so goes the nation. OK, Ohio. This is great stuff. Really. And don't even think about trying to make this at home. It's too much work.

What Hoffman says:Could it be that Wendy's has pushed the crazy meter too high this time? Here's the thing that makes Gouda not so Gouda on this sandwich. There's so much other stuff slopping up this sandwich, you can't taste any difference in the cheese. They could have slapped some Cheez Whiz on there and nobody would notice. Click here to find out what Hoffman says you should boldly order instead. less

Total calories: 180. Fat grams: 11. Sodium: 430 mg. Carbs: 16 g. Dietary fiber: 1 g. Protein: 5 g. Manufacturer's suggested retail price: $1.What Hoffman says:Taco Bell took its core ingredients, shook 'em up in a Yahtzee cup and
scrambled them into new products. A result is that Taco Bell is like
Olive Garden - everything sort of tastes, er, similar. However, the Mini Skillet Bowl is a tasty, perfectly fine mix of eggs, taters,
cheese and pico. But there's just one problem. Find out what it is in the full review.

What Hoffman says:The Meat Mountain is all right, if you enjoy telling survivor's stories. The flavors and textures get smushed into one meaty, salty mess. It's more confusing than pleasing. And $10 is a pretty beefy price point. Click here to find out which Arby's meal Hoffman says you should try instead. less

What Hoffman says: Burger King is flame-kissing its hot dogs on the same grill it cooks
Whoppers. So the King's dogs don't have a rubbery texture like boiled or
steamed franks. Burger King's dogs have a little char and snap to them -
that's having it the right way.

Stuffed Garlic Knots Pizza at Pizza Hut: Sixteen cheese-filled garlic knots
stuck around the edge of a one-topping large pizza. I'll pick pepperoni,
the world's most popular pizza add-on, as my topping. I'm such a people
pleaser. Frankly, it's been a problem, and it's held me back from
attaining personal fulfillment.

5-for-$4 meal deal at Burger King: A bacon cheeseburger, four crispy chicken nuggets, small fries, small drink and a chocolate-chip cookie.

Total calories:1,170 (for the whole meal). Fat grams: 47. Sodium: 1,650 mg. Carbs: 164 g. Dietary fiber: 8 g. Protein: 26 g.What Hoffman says:There's nothing new about - or in - Burger King's 5-for-$4 meal, except
the price. You're saving more than a dollar by grouping the five items.
But at what cost? You might not like nuggets, or you'd prefer two bacon
cheeseburgers and hold the cookie. Ain't gonna happen. There's no
substituting or wiggle room, while you can still wiggle.

The new Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McDonald's: A 4.25-ounce all-beef patty with no fillers or extenders or helpers,
two slices of melty American cheese, raw slivered onions, tangy pickles,
mustard and ketchup, salt and pepper, on a toasted sesame seed bun.

What Hoffman says:McDonald's has a new way of cooking the Quarter Pounder 2.0. The patty
is grilled top and bottom at a higher temperature, which sears the meat,
seals in the moisture and produces a juicier burger. The buns are
toasted 5 seconds longer than before, so there's a little crunch to the
bite. I'd toast them another 5 seconds. I like dark-brown toasty buns
with a crispy char.

The new Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McDonald's: A 4.25-ounce all-beef patty with no fillers or extenders or helpers, two slices of melty American cheese, raw slivered onions, tangy pickles, mustard ... more

The new Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McDonald's: A... Photo-8864207.71182 - Houston Chronicle

What Hoffman says:Wendy's pulled pork and sauces are prepared off campus, then heated up
and assembled in each restaurant. So Wendy's pulled pork doesn't compare
to authentic barbecue joints with a 10-ton smoker out back.Though, it's as close to the real deal as you'll get through a drive-through window.

What Hoffman says:So my expectations were low when I approached the wing station at Golden Corral. Pleasant surprise No. 1: They were naked - no heavy, greasy breading. My low-carb will power wasn't threatened. Surprise 2: They were extra large - not the fractured bony winglets served in low-class wing joints that rely on 20 big screen TVs to bring in customers. But that's not the only thing that made it to Hoffman's review. Click here to find out what -- or rather, who -- Hoffman made a culinary connection with. less

Wings at Golden Corral: Grab a plate, pile on wings. Repeat as necessary, until unnecessary, until you wobble out thinking, "Well, they sure lost money on me tonight."

What Hoffman says:McDonald's has a bad case of Olive Garden Syndrome - all the burgers taste pretty much the same. That's because McDonald's, with its target demo of … everybody, can't get too close to the edge. So the Jalapeño Double isn't fire-extinguisher spicy, it's McDonald's spicy. Ranch comes to the rescue. It's almost like McDonald's was thinking, "We're in trouble with this burger." Click here to find out what Hoffman says can help "spice up the party." A little. less

What Hoffman says:"Ever feel great and awful at the same time? That's what Blizzards do to you. Wow, they're delicious, from the first spoonful to that last scrape off the sides. But nothing hits home the fact that self-control may not be your strong point like a Blizzard." Find out why this cookie's fast food partnership is big news. less

What Hoffman says: Burger King is pulling Taco Bell's old trick of creating new menu items with standard fare already in the pantry. Put 'em all together and you've got a unique Extra Long BBQ Cheeseburger. But is it enough to win over Hoffman's taste buds? Find out which item he says is the "best-tasting thing on the King's menu." less

Extra Long BBQ Cheeseburger from Burger King: Two all-beef patties, two slices of American cheese, four onion rings and barbecue sauce on a toasted sesame seed hoagie bun.

What Hoffman says:These bites are a whole lot better tasting than the "sort of like lobster" bites from five years ago. The new Lobster Bites have a legit lobster taste. The breading is crunchy. No dipping in butter necessary. The flavor is built into the breading. All in all, pretty good deal. Treat yourself to some lobster for two bucks. less

Norway Lobster Bites at Long John Silver's: 100 percent Norway lobster tail meat, lightly breaded and deep-fried, served in creative new packaging.

What Hoffman says:That was the blueprint, given my options at Subway. If I were building
the perfect pastrami sandwich, it would have Swiss cheese and sauerkraut
(affecting a Reuben flashback), kosher pickles and Russian dressing on
crusty rye bread with seeds. That's a pastrami sandwich. less

What Hoffman says:
Up front - both of these flatbread sandwiches are darn excellent. They're even pretty to look at, with greens and reds and yellows. Wendy's bacon is always a plus, it's a little thicker and smokier than what's found at most drive-throughs. The five-grain flatbread is toasty and easy to handle because it's … well, flat. You won't pull a mouth muscle wrapping your lips around it. less

What Hoffman says:
The Taco Bell and Doritos marriage was such a natural ... what took 'em so long? Brand-name connections are usually locks in the drive-through, and fast-food fans are pretty darn fond of Doritos brand anything in the chip aisle. Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch are beloved prefixes to a certain demographic — hungry guys in cars. less

What Hoffman says:
The sandwich comes with Hooters' traditional curly fries or new Big Dippers, which are steak fries with built-in grooves, so you can dip them in ranch sauce and ruin all the good work you've done eating a somewhat low-calorie, low-fat lunch. You are your own worst enemy. So what's new? less

What Hoffman says:
The Beefy Nacho Burrito scores several major points. First and most important, it's a Taco Bell burrito, and it tastes pretty darn terrific. Everything inside the tortilla goes together. It packs that distinctive T-Bell flavor. Just like the Bell's 14 other burritos. less